Buffer for railway cars



Dec. 13, 1949 T. F. BRENNAN 2,491,158

BUFFER FOR RAILWAY CARSl Filed sept. 18, 1944 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 N [TED STAT ES lllfIf-' NT OFFICE 2,491,158 BUFFER FORAIIZWY RS Thomas F; Brennan, Cincinnati, Ohio Application septembe 18, 1544; serial No. '554,564

1o Claims.' (Cl. 21a-'2121) This invention relates;` 1torailway' cars, @and more p'articularlyto the connections between'the cars' One lof the objects `off-the'invention *is the provision of newand improved connecting'm'echa-f nism between railway 4t'ia'lrs so'constructed that shocks due to-bufwillbe eflic'ientlyabs'orbed-by ther buier mechanism.

A further object of the' i'nventionis` the provision of anew and improved buier -for*u sein^ railway cars. l y l A still furtherobject of the invention --is the provi-sion of new and improved cfonnecting mechanism'l between railway cars," comprising resilient means on adjoining cars normally engaging each' other under initial compression.

-A still further" object oifj theinvention is' the provisionv of a new and vimproved buier* member for railway cars that"isprbvdedbwith lfriction mechanism for absorbingsho'cks due to bu'iling of the cars.

-A'fstill' further objectf'ofjtheinvention is the provision of new :and improved -buier mechanism that is simple in construction;eilicentin peration, 'easily assembled fand applied; andthatlisnot;

Fig. 2 is .an end eleyationlof 'ione' of fthe buieri to l.both pull-.and buff. IIhese-devices'if'ip'e'rate' in bothfdirections, andeon'sequently infayfnot be employed zwitnthe t'ype of "car employing a lsingle compression spring. Thepresentinvention seeks Y `V2 of' a channel with the'a'nges" lextending "toward the opposite end of the car, and each end sill`is provided in its web portion with av 'central'"openf ing I4 in the longitudinal center line of the' car *and through which a draft bar 'I5 vis adapted to extend. The' draft vhar I5 is vpif'ivid'ed l1on` what will-be termed its outer end with aV coupler hook I6, and vits inner'end extends inwardly through" a 4U-shaped bracket II rigidly secured to thee/'nd -sill of the car by any suitable means; as'the 'angle members IIB and Il);` which' are riveted to the forward end of the bracket 'I 1 and tthe' web fof ther end sill I3, as shown 'more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Sincethe draw "bars andthe' means for mountingthe sameon the ends of the car are alike, only one will be described.

Eachdre ar If extends inwardly through the endsilljIS and bracket I1, andbeyo'nd the same,

20 -and'has a" compressi'onspring 2| mounted'lon its innerend. A spring seat inthe formv of awasher22 isinterposedjbetween the inner'end' of the spring and a nut -23 threaded 'onthe inner end of the" drawbar 'for lconstituting` an; abutment 'for :the spring.

The adjacent ends] of the cars -II and 'I2 are eachA provided with oneor morebumper or buffer members 20. Inl the form of construction shown, two of 4these members are employed on each end eof'eachpar.; Each buffer member includes what will beterrned a barrel'casing or chambered follower` member y2li (see Fig. 3), which may be, yand preferably isjcylindricalin cross-section at its outer portion and-has; a rectangular flange '225 :extending about its inner end. The upper and lower r'porti-ons of the iiange;V as shown in A1i*ig.'-2, areprovided with bolt openings 26; 21', -28- andi-29, and thesev openings are elongated and extend Vdiagonally across Ythe cornersA of the rectangular ibase for convenience in attachment. Interposed between the end sill and the base of VtheA buffer members is a wooden block 3|, vand suitable fastening bolts 32 and 33 (Fig. 1)` are provided for rigidly securing the block'and buffer memberfto Zi-the endsill ofthe car;- as clearly shown'in Fig. l1

of the drawing. Y

Each buffer lmer'nber -20 alsoincludes a Ysecond chamber'ed @follower inthe formof a plunger member 34. The plunger member34 -is hollow :.5d'fbr-cl1lambered and has( its inner end-open and its outer end closed by a-flanged end wall '35. The barrel member or bodyportion 24 and plunger member 34telescopically engage each other, and suitable means are provided for holding themv in with a front endisillil3f1which maybe-in theformbass'embled relation. As shown, the-barrel mem- 3 ber 24 is hollow or chambered and is provided with a plurality of lugs 36, 31 and 38, three being shown, which extend radially inwardly from the inner surface of the wall of the body portion 24 at the outer end thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The plunger is hexagonal in cross-section and is provided with a segmental ange forming lugs or segments 39 which extend radially outwardly from the corners of the plunger at the inner end thereof. These lugs, which are of material length as shown in.Fig..3,; reinforce the walls of the plunger against bursting strains of the wedge mechanism when the buffer is compressed. The lugs 36, 31 and 38 are of such width that the plunger may be inserted in the barrel member 24 by turninghthe plunger to. such position that the lugs 35 will pass between the segments 39. After they have beeninserted the plunger is turned so that the lugs 36, 31 and 38 will be in front of the segments 3Bfthereby preventing separation of the members 2 4 and 34. Suitable means .are provided for developing rictional resistance to theheompression of the' "l buier member 20. "In theform' of construction selected to illustrate one'embodiment 'of the in vention, spring means 45 and friction mechanism 4l) are] employed for ffrictiona'lly resisting the. compression Vofthev buffer.' member 2c.' This 'friction mechanism 40 vcomprises a'plurality of friction shoes 4 I three beingfshown. The outer sur. face of the: shoes conforms 'to'the innerV surface'V of the plunger member'34jat o neof the corners, and is so constructedthatlfeach s'ho'e' will engage two sides "ofthe inner hexagonal; surface of the" plunger. Each of theshoes .4|is provided with an inner inclined or Aw'edgflfg Y frictionV face' 42 and an' outerinclined' or 'wedgingf'fric'tion" :face 43;,V Each of these inclined faces "has'plane surfaces,"l asl indicatedin Figs. 3 and `The outer inclined plane faces 430i theY wedgesenga'ge' correspond` ing inner inclined plane wedgeaces of a spring seat 44, as .shown in Fig'l 3,'I'IA` spring-45 is 'seated'. against the outer end of the einteilen.'pressi against the outer face `f 'the' nspring seat'44. Be`V cause of the inclined cooperating faces oftheVV shoes and the spring seat the spring 45, tendsto force the .shoesoutwardly-iitofrictinal'contact with the inner 4surface oftlefp'lunger'34. A suitable wedge 45,1haying .threeouter planewedging faces .41, is provided Aenglafgin'g thea, inner inclined faces 42,rspeetiyely, of the shoes 4| for forcing ltheni radially outwardly intoqfric; tional engagement with-th Y Mersurface Yo'the plunger 34 when th-.bilig ...iS-compressed The inner end f the. barrel membrpr. bedvportien 24 is provided with an axially arranged angular or non-circular openingf48,andfthewedge memfu;

bel' @E is provided with. e .orrespendna reduced.. angular or non-circular projection 49 that'engages in the opening 48, whereby the wedge 45 is prevented from turning relative to the barrel member 24. The wedge-45 and friction shoes 4l cooperate to prevent the rotation of the plunger S4 relative to the body portion or barrel 24. The

reduced non-circular projection 49 forms a shoulder 5), which engages the end wall of the barrel member 24 for holding the wedge member 46 in position within said barrel member. In other words, the parts are locked against relative turning movement and the wedge 46 is prevented from passing out of -the barrel 24 through the opening 48.

The barrels or body portions 24 of the buier members 20 are each provided on their upper vbers 52 toward each other.

with the barrel or be Welder thereto, as shown in Fig. l.

Suitable means are provided for placing the buler'members under initial compression when the cars are coupled together. In the form of construction shown, which is by way of example only, a coupler member 5I is employed for that purpose. The coupler member comprises a pair of clevises or U-shaped members 52, 53 (see Fig. 1)', whichare adapted toengage the coupler hooksl |-5 on thedraw-bars l5 or" the adjacent cars. The outer ends of the U-shaped member or clevises 52, 53, are each connected together by aA cross-bar 54 which is pivoted therein. Each cross-barV is provided with a screw-threaded opening transversely through the same in the axis of oppositedirection will increase this distance.

.In .coupling tha-.cars together the clevises 52; 53, are forced apart and are-placed over'the.v hooks l5, after whicnthe leverprhandle 511s turned-in Aa direction toorcethecoupler mem-.

In that'way the.. buffer members onjone car will be caused to engage thebuifer members 0.11: the other` car.: thereby placing all; of the springs in the buffers under initial- ,ommfession., o a:

In the operationofmthe device1the springs 2l will. cushion the; shoclgs due ton; pull, and Vthe shocks dueto bui will'begabsorbed by thespring 45 andthe friction-mechanism 40.., When. the

buffer members arereleased; thesprings 45 re-r ber, said rstLhollow member having externally extending lugs, said second hollow member havmg internally;.extendingvlugsadapted'toV cooperate with said externally extending lugs tollimitA axial expansiontwhenethe two members are in normal operative position, said lugs being con-v structed' and arrangedA to permitthe two memA bers to be separated when the two members areYAY relatively Irotated to releasepositions, a plurality of friction shoes in contact with the non-cylindrical interior of said rst hollow member to frictionally resist telescopic contraction of the two members, wedgemeans xed relative to said second hollow member, and spring means in compression between said rst hollow member and said shoes to cooperate with said wedge means to urge said shoes radially outwardly, said wedge means having a non-.circular wedging portion in contact with said shoes and said shoes conforming with the non-cylindrical conguration of said rst member whereby relative rotation of the two members out of said normal positions is Side With 2. Step', WhiCllI-a'y bhelilladv ntegnl'al resisted by the force of saidspring,

limit axial expansion whenthe two members are cooperate' with said'"extrnallyxtnding in normal operative position, said lugs being con- I structedv and arranged t permit the two m'- b'rs "to 'beseparated when the `-two members are rlatively'rotated `to release positions, saidfirst hollow member having anon-'cylindrical interior, a wedge member xed relative to said second hollow member, said wedge member having a non-circular wedging portion, a spring seat having a wedging portion, spring means in compression between said spring seat and said rst hollow member, and a plurality of friction shoes interposed between said wedge member and said spring seat to press radially outward against said first hollow member, said shoes having wedging surfaces conforming to the non-circular portion of said wedge means and having friction surfaces conforming to the non-circular interior of said first hollow member whereby the pressure of the spring means not only resists axial contraction of the two members but also resists relative rotation of the two members out of said normal positions.

4. A buffer comprising the combination set forth in claim 3, in which said spring seat has a non-circular wedging portion and in which said friction shoes have wedging faces conforming thereto whereby the spring seat is yieldingly prevented from rotation relative to said second hollow member and the frictional contact of the spring means with said spring seat on one hand and with said first hollow member on the other hand further tends to prevent relative rotation between the two hollow members.

5. A buffer comprising an outer hollow member having circumferentially spaced radial inward lugs, an inner hollow member telescoped into said outer hollow member, the interior of said inner hollow member forming in cross-section a polygon, a plurality of friction shoes inside said inner hollow member, each of said shoes being positioned to press outward against said inner hollow member at one of the vertices of said polygon, said inner hollow member having longitudinally extending radial outward lugs at said vertices to serve the purposes of making said. ingredienniemben Sine keine gasiftiened te press esigere' against said inner hollen:

member-at Qns 9i vertices gf 'said pdv-sen.

Seid inner hellen lirualzflberV having longitudinallyextending 'radial gutward lues at said vertices spaced Qirumferentially apartir; clear said radialinwarglllg for-axial-separation of the twof'hol-r 19W 'members when the `two `hollow members are relatively rotated out-of normal positions to ree4 lease RQsitions, said radial outward lugs serving' thepurposeof making guiding contact with said outerhollow member, of coacting with said inward lugs'tonormally prevent separation of the shoesat said verticesand means to urge said friction lshoes outwardly.

7. A buifercomprising a hollowmemper hav-V ing-an inner end adapted for'attachment to one end of said car, a plurality of lugs extending'ral aially inwardly 'on the outer end of said member,

a hollow plungerinem-berj angularly in intentar" cross-.section telescoped into said hollow Afbody,"

said plunger member having inner side walls forming vertices of'angles, said plunger member having lugs extending radially outward on its telesooped end at said vertices of angles for strengthening said inner side walls and for interlocking with said first-named lugs for holding said hollow member and said plunger member in assembled relation, friction shoes in at least some of said vertices of angles, each shoe frictionally engaging two adjacent inner walls of the plunger member, each of said shoes having an inner inclined plane face and an outer inclined plane face, a wedge member having plane wedglng faces engaging said inner inclined faces, respectively, said wedge member having a noncircular inner end extending through a corresponding non-circular opening in the inner end of said hollow member for locking said hollow member and plunger against relative rotation, a spring seat having plane wedging faces engaging said outer inclined faces of said shoes, respectively, and spring means acting against said seat to urge said shoes radially outward.

8. A buffer comprising inner and outer chambered followers telescopically arranged, the inner -follower being polygonal in cross-section and havmg radially extending lugs on the outer surface of its corners elongated lengthwise of the follower for strengthening the telescoped end of the follower against bursting strains, a plurality of lugs l extending radially inwardly from the telescoped end of the outer follower, the lugs on said inner and outer followers being so spaced that they will slide past each other when turned out of alignment by relative rotation of the two followers out of normal positions of relative rotation during assembly and will lock the followers together when in normal alignment after assembly. and spring means and wedging mechanism constructed and arranged both for frictionally resisting telescopic contraction of the two followers and for yieldingly resisting relative rotation of the two followers out of normal alignment of said ugs.

9. A shock absorbing device comprising a casing having circumferentially spaced inwardly extending lugs, a plunger mounted in said casing and projecting therefrom, said plunger being capable of both rotation relative to the casing and longitudinal movement relative to the casing, said plunger having outwardly extending lugs for magi-asi engagement with said mwardlyextdigiug at' a normal position of rotation of the plunger relative to the casing for normally limiting the longitudinal movement of the Y' plunger outwardly of the casing, said outwardly projecting lugs being spaced to permit passage thereofvbetween said inwardly projecting lugs when the plunger is rotated out of said normal position of rotation, and spring-actuated friction means mounted within said plunger both urging .said plunger longitudinally outward of the casing and tending to rotate the plunger to said normal position of rotation.`

10. A shock absorbing device comprising a casing, a plunger mounted therein and projecting therefrom, said plunger being capable of longitudinal inward and outward movement relative to the casing, said casing and plunger being relatively rotatable nto and out of interlocking positions for limiting longitudinal outward movement of the plunger relative to the casing, and spring- REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the Number Number le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date OConnor Sept. 29, 1925 Gross Feb. 18, 1930 Hazeltine Feb. 7, 1939 Cottrell Apr. 21, 1942 Olander Aug. 4, 1942 Dath Dec. 7, 1943 Geiger Apr. 23, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Aug. 1, 1934 France of 1913 Germany Mar. 11, 1927 

